Federal, state, and institutional regulations limit the duration/amount of eligibility for certain types of financial aid. It is important that each student know and understand these limits.
| Class | Annual Limits | Lifetime Aggregate Limits | ||||
| Subsidized | Unsubsidized | Subsidized | Unsubsidized | |||
| For dependent students with NO PLUS Loan denial | Additional for independent students -OR- dependent students WITH a PLUS Loan denial | For dependent students with NO PLUS Loan denial | Additional for independent students -OR- dependent students WITH a PLUS Loan denial | |||
| Freshman | 3500 | 2000 | 6000 | 23,000 | 8,000 | 34,500 |
| Sophomore | 4500 | 2000 | 6000 | |||
| Junior | 5500 | 2000 | 7000 | |||
| Senior | 5500 | 2000 | 7000 | |||
| Graduate | N/A | 20,500 | N/A | 138,500 | ||
*NOTE: FEDERAL PERKINS LOAN PROGRAM ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2017
If you have received a Perkins Loan in the past and have questions, please contact ECSI Federal Perkins Loan Servicer.
You may also contact the ETSU Bursar’s Office at 423-439-4212, or Bursar@etsu.edu
Federal Direct Parent and Grad PLUS Loans:
Eligibility and limitations for PLUS loans are based on credit decisions made by Direct Lending and each student's Cost of Attendance Budget
The duration of a student’s eligibility to receive a Federal Pell Grant is 12 full-time semesters (or its equivalent). Pell Grant is available to ETSU Undergraduate Students only. Beginning with the 2026-2027 award year, students who have a Student Aid Index (SAI) that is at least twice the Pell Grant maximum award of $7,395 (SAI - 14, 790) and/or have scholarships that meet or exceed their full cost of attendance are no longer eligible to receive the Pell Grant.
Tennessee Student Assistance Award
Award recipients at ETSU may receive TSAA awards for a maximum of 8 semesters or until the program of study is complete (whichever comes first).
Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship
According to the ETSU Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy:
"Maximum eligibility is reviewed each semester. If a student has attempted enough hours to graduate and has not graduated, a warning email will be sent to the student at their GoldMail address, reminding them of maximum eligibility standards. Students who have attempted 150% of the required credit hours for their degree will become ineligible for financial aid."
NOTE: 2nd degree students and Undergraduate/Graduate Special students have different maximum eligibility requirements. Please review the ETSU SAP Policy.